Financially speaking, the Louisville Public Library’s immediate future looks precarious with the reductions in state support factored into the forecast.

Officials with the library system are asking Louisville-area voters to approve a 1-mill, 5-year property tax Nov. 3. If approved, the levy is expected to yield about $347,000 a year.

The tax would cost the owner of a $100,000 home about $30 a year.

Currently, the Louisville Public Library system does not draw any financial support from a local property tax. There are seven independent public library systems in Stark County, and four of those have property tax levies.

“We have lost a substantial amount of state aid,” Michael Snyder, executive director of the library system, said. “Our state aid has decreased from $808,494 (in 2001) to $474,956 for the year 2010. We have already got that notice. We can’t maintain regular service with those kind of reductions.”

The state assistance Snyder refers to is the Public Library Fund, which is a percentage of Ohio tax revenue set aside to support public library systems.

“Obviously, in this tough economic time, revenue to the state is dropping,” said Lynda Murray, director of government and legal services for the Ohio Library Council. “In addition to that reduction, the (Ohio) General Assembly reduced it further. This has hit libraries pretty hard around the state.”

Louisville library officials recently made adjustments to cope with a leaner budget this year. For example, the library reduced its weekly operating schedule to 51 hours from 64 hours a week. Also, two part-time employees were laid off and four who retired were not replaced. One of those who retired was the assistant director.

If voters reject the levy request, there is a possibility Louisville Public Library would reduce its operating hours even more during the upcoming year.

“We will have to evaluate the budget, see what we can afford,” said Jay Barton, a member of the library system trustee board. “If we can’t pay the employees, then we can’t be open. At this time, the only option we would have is (to) close the doors certain days of the week.”

Also, there is a possibility of ceasing to be an independent library system, and joining the Canton-based Stark County District Library.

“We would consider it as a possibility if we limped along and found we weren’t making any progress,” Snyder said. “I would estimate they (trustees) would be reviewing this in two or three years.”

If we weren’t making any progress, I think the board might consider a consolidation with Stark County District Library.”